Rainmaker.FM: Build Your Digital Sales and Marketing Platform

Well, we missed last week, but for good reason, as youll hear in this episode. Despite that small setback, weve got a lot to report to you about the progress of this site and what it might mean for your own business goals. Which brings us back to one of the main reasons were doing all of this ... to teach you everything we learn as we execute the development of this platform in real time. Stick around ... In this 53-minute episode youll discover: Why we missed last weeks episode What weve learned so far about maximizing iTunes The next stage of evolution for New Rainmaker Why were about to focus heavily on SlideShare The true power of repurposing content A different way to approach advertising A short preview of the coming Rainmaker Platform Listen to New Rainmaker Episode No. 8 below ... [player] Download AudioSubscribe in iTunesDownload Transcript The Transcript ... Behind the Scenes: How the New Rainmaker Strategy Evolves in Plain Sight Robert Bruce: So we missed last week. What happened? Whats been going on? Brian Clark: Can I just blame it on you? Robert Bruce: No. No, Im not going to allow that this time. Brian Clark: Oh. Well. Robert Bruce: Because this actually has to do with you. Why We Missed Last Weeks Show Brian Clark: Well, thats true. Actually, Im impressed that we went on a run and were consistent. As you know (but no one else seems to know), since early February Ive been sick with this weird ... not normal sick. Ive been every form of normal sick with one unifying, really crazy, weird sickness that has been a really trying experience. Basically, I was in Austin doing a live training event. I basically got the flu. So I did 10 hours onstage in two days, suffering from the flu. I made it through it and it was all cool, and I was all proud of myself. I never really got better from that, because then I went to Las Vegas to speak at the email summit, and thats when things got really weird and I got hit with vertigo. Robert Bruce: Vertigo. Brian Clark: Yeah. So its not just an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Its basically, everything spins around and you cant walk straight, cant think straight and cant do anything. You get very nauseous. During the first few days of that, I was bedridden. Finally, I went to the doctor, and they were like, Well, its either a virus and itll clear up, or its this other thing. If I make this adjustment on you, itll go away in a couple of days. Well, it turns out it was probably the virus thing. In hindsight, if I would have gotten really strong antivirals, at that point I would have been laid up a couple days. I probably would have been better. Instead, its been weeks. And then to top it all off, because it attacks your immune system in addition to your vestibular system, Ive gotten every possible sickness that two little kids, little germ factories, biological warriors if you will ... Robert Bruce: ... dragging that into the house ... Brian Clark: ... that drag right into the house. So yeah. Its been five weeks of suck. Robert Bruce: Im thinking maybe thats a good enough reason. Brian Clark: I was trying to make it. That was the badge of honor. But doing half-days of work would basically exhaust me. So last week, I had a really rough week. And we moved into our new house at the same time. So come on people, please give me a break! Thats a good excuse. I mean, in the realm of excuses. Robert Bruce: Maybe well do a poll or something at the end of this program. Brian Clark: Yeah. OK Brian, we dont care, suck it up next time. (Laughs) Robert Bruce: Moving, on top of it. I forgot about that. Brian Clark: Yeah, that was fun. Thats always fun. Id like to use that as an excuse alone. What Weve Learned so Far About Maximizing iTunes Robert Bruce: Okay. So were back. Thi

There is nothing new under the sun. What was old, is new again. It’s all been said and done before ... Those adages are true in your university philosophy class, and just as true when it comes to your media strategy. If you’re working too hard trying to keep up with every new tactic and technology and social network that bubbles up online ... and wondering what the essential asset is in building an audience, then this episode of New Rainmaker is for you. In this 16-minute episode youll discover: Why producing social objects is critical How social media changed the concept of audience forever A simple fundamental definition of modern SEO Why Google is like a mean high school girl How Google plans to reward personal media brands The 7 initial steps to building a digital media platform What to focus on first so traffic is never a concern Listen to New Rainmaker Episode No. 7 below ... [player] Download MP3Subscribe in iTunesDownload Transcript The Transcript The Critical Thing You Need to Earn Targeted Traffic – Today, and into the Future Robert Bruce: There is nothing new under the sun. What was old, is new again. Its all been said and done before … true in your university philosophy class, and just as true in your media strategy. If youre working too hard trying to keep up with every new tactic and technology and social network that bubbles up online ... this episode is for you. This is New Rainmaker, from newrainmaker.com. I am Robert Bruce and today Brian Clark makes the case for the one thing you need to relentlessly focus on in order to drive prospective customers to your business, no matter what Google, Twitter, or Facebook do (or dont do) in the future. Stay tuned … Brian Clark: What would you say about an SEO strategy that involved creating content a specific audience wanted ... and then used social media to publicize that content in order to rank well in search engines? Well, if youve been paying attention over the last few years, youd say ... “Thats what SEO is, Brian”. Google is looking for signals that people like content before theyll rank it prominently, and that starts with social media distribution. Like, duh ... thats why they launched Google+ in 2011. Okay, Ill give you that one. But Im talking about 2006. Back in those days, Facebook was still primarily in dorm rooms, and Twitter was considered ridiculous to the extent it was considered at all. It was before social media went mainstream, but we still had social media. Back then it was mainly about blogs, but Web 2.0 was accelerating the coming culture of sharing with social media news and bookmarking sites. The two primary platforms at the time were the former versions of Digg and Delicious (which has now been ruined by Yahoo!). Digg in particular was a force to be reckoned with, sending tens of thousands of visitors in a massive stampede ... if you made the home page. TechCrunch was literally built on the back of Digg, with its tech news focus and acerbic voice. Heres how it worked. Members of the Digg community submitted content for general consideration. The content either got voted up (a digg) or down (a bury). Many websites (including Copyblogger) had Digg buttons on their pages, similar to what you now see with Twitter, Facebook, and the rest. Long story short, enough diggs and your content made the Digg home page, and the stampede began. But that wasnt why many of us wanted to make the homepage. The real reason to make the homepage was links. Bloggers trolled the Digg homepage looking for interesting content to blog about or add to their link posts. And naturally-obtained links remain the signal Google loves most. We were using Digg as a content publicity engine. The content was high quality, that wasnt the problem ... the issue was that all things made equal, content with the most

We’ve been talking about media not marketing in this broadcast quite a bit ... but what does that actually mean, what can it look like? As you’ll hear in this episode, examples of a media-first approach done very well are all around us, it only takes a simple shift in thinking to see them. But can this approach to building an audience have an actual effect on the bottom line revenue of your business, or is it just more philosophical wordplay? In this 17-minute episode youll discover: The neuroscience behind one of the most powerful influencers The evil Megamind trick to getting your message heard How two brands increased sales by over 50% with smart media plays The psychological basis of how things spread through social media Why people prefer product placements in entertainment media How media influences behavior in ways that marketing can’t The two keys to building likability for your brand Why teachers can become powerful business builders Listen to New Rainmaker Episode No. 6 below ... [player] Download AudioSubscribe in iTunesDownload Transcript Transcript 8 Ways a Digital Media Platform is More Influential than Marketing Robert Bruce: Weve been talking about media not marketing in this broadcast quite a bit … but what does that actually mean, what can it look like? As youll hear in a few moments, examples of this done very well throughout the history of media are all around us, it only takes a simple shift in thinking to see them. But can this approach to building an audience have an actual effect on the bottom line revenue of your business, or is it just more philosophical wordplay? This is New Rainmaker, from newrainmaker.com. I am Robert Bruce and today Brian Clark lays out eight tenets of creating a digital media strategy — based on storytelling, trust, and teaching — that works to build your business much more powerfully than mere marketing. Stay tuned … Brian Clark: Imagine this scenario. Two attorneys are chatting against the beautiful tropical backdrop of the Cayman Islands. The elder lawyer suggests to the young rising star that he grab a Red Stripe, which leads to the selection of the Jamaican-brewed beer from an ice-cold fridge. So simple … but its a powerful association between the good life and a particular brand of beer. Did it work? Within a month, sales of Red Stripe in the United States increased by over 50%. Within a few weeks of that, the company collected a $62 million payday by selling a majority interest in the brewery to Guinness. That would be a pretty effective commercial, if it was one. After all, who can afford Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman for a beer commercial? The scene I described is from the film The Firm, an adaptation of the John Grisham novel of the same name. This was not a commercial, but an example of product placement, and a highly effective one at that. Clearly, American consumers have been hoodwinked into buying expensive Jamaican beer against their will! Except ... the science indicates thats absolutely not true. Early studies on product integration in entertainment media from the 1990s found that the majority of people are not deceived by the practice, and do not find it objectionable. In fact, compared to being interrupted by a commercial, people preferred product integration in content. Recent studies confirm the earlier findings, but go a step further in favor of the practice. Consumers see product integration as providing more realistic narratives, compared to the former practice of props for generic soda, beer, sneakers, and what have you. Product integration is just one example of a subset in the bigger picture here. Taking a media approach - compared to traditional marketing and advertising - is more influential and effective, not because it tricks anyone, but because it gives people what they want in a format th

Back in the day, the Big Dream of any creator involved striking a deal with a name like Random House, Warner Brothers, or Atlantic Records. Signing a deal with one of those immortal entities was considered the gold ring, the opening of the only door to independence, respect, and success in media and entertainment. Then, in the course of less than twenty years, the Internet obliterated those power structures, leaving creators of all kinds — for better or worse — holding their futures in their own hands. That game has not only changed, theres now an entirely new and different game ... In this 17-minute episode youll discover: Will Google become the next big movie studio? How to grow the business you have, or build the business you want Why the benefits of content marketing are only the beginning How to have a serious advantage over the big guys The role you need to play going forward (its not as hard as you think) The reason youll likely succeed (big), if you start now Listen to New Rainmaker Episode No. 5 below ... [player] Download AudioSubscribe in iTunesDownload Transcript Transcript Why the New Rainmaker is a Digital Media Producer Robert Bruce: When I was coming up, the Big Dream involved striking a deal with a name like Random House, Warner Brothers, or Atlantic Records. Signing a deal with one of those immortal entities was considered the gold ring, the opening of the only door to independence, respect, and success in media and entertainment. Then, in the course of less than twenty years, the Internet obliterated those power structures, leaving creators of all kinds — for better or worse — holding their futures in their own hands. That game has not only changed, it has been replaced by an entirely new and different game … This is New Rainmaker, from newrainmaker.com. I am Robert Bruce and today Brian Clark discusses the responsibility and incredible power that independent entrepreneurs and business owners currently hold, as well as a way forward for creating the kind of media that can build those businesses … your business. Stay tuned … Brian Clark: We believe that great writing wins the day, says Jay Moye, senior writer and editor for an online publication called Journey. Thats not a surprising thing for a writer to say, of course. Except in this case, Journey is produced by the Coca-Cola Company, and Jay Moye is a corporate employee of one of the most valuable brands on the planet. More than that, Journey is not some outlier website. Its Cokes corporate website. But dont let Coca-Cola executives hear you call it a corporate website, Moye warns. Its a media platform. Hes right, of course. And its a media platform that might play a big part in redefining the business of media as a whole. Media companies, as weve traditionally defined them, are struggling with the transition to digital. Thats because the business model of ad-supported content is weak compared to other approaches. As Joe Pulizzi of the Content Marketing Institute said: Cokes content marketing is a needle in a traditional advertising haystack. Its simply a rounding error. If Coke ever decides to really get serious, it has more money and resources than any media entity in the world to develop world-class content. So whats to stop Coke from making movies? Or Apple producing episodic television from its billions in stock-piled cash? The big movie studios have figured out that they must focus on blockbusters to make money, leaving everything else underserved or ignored. Corporate brands dont play by the same rules, because they make money in multiple different ways with a media-first model. Will the next generation of indie films come from Google? Netflix is proving a point with original programming such as House of Cards that operates outside of traditional media channels – not to oth

Its time to pull back the curtain for just a few minutes and talk about what weve learned (so far) from producing New Rainmaker. Were only three episodes in, but this is something we want to do periodically throughout the run of the broadcast, starting right now. Stay tuned as Brian Clark and I take you behind the scenes of the early days of this particular media brand and then talk a bit about where it all might be going. In this 24-minute episode youll discover: How much money weve spent on the New Rainmaker production Why were doing these behind the scenes episodes How we decided on the New Rainmaker broadcast format What the response to New Rainmaker has been so far The basic tools of creating our media platform Whats coming next ... Listen to New Rainmaker Episode No. 4 below ... [player] Download AudioSubscribe in iTunesDownload Transcript The Transcript Behind the Scenes: How (and Why) New Rainmaker is Produced Robert Bruce: Its time to pull back the curtain for just a few minutes and talk about what weve learned so far from producing New Rainmaker. Were only three episodes in, but this is something we want to do periodically throughout the run of the broadcast, starting right now. This is New Rainmaker, from newrainmaker.com. Stay tuned as Brian Clark and I take you behind the scenes of the early days of his particular media brand. Then well talk a bit about where it all might be going. Why Do a Behind-the-Scenes Episode? Why are we doing these behind-the-scenes episodes? Were going to take a break here from the three episodes that weve already released at newrainmaker.com, and now its just you and me talking. Whats going on with this? Brian Clark: Well, for those who have been around our sister publication, Copyblogger for awhile, you realize that we had a very kind of meta approach, which I implemented in the early days. The question was how do you get other marketers to trust you while youre teaching them something that youre doing to them? And the only way to do that is to just be transparent. Were going to talk about the use of transparency, and why it is so vital in this whole media-as-marketing thing in future episodes. But the thing is, you cant get away with it like its not happening. So instead, the whole idea behind this podcast was to try various things. Some things we knew would work, some things we were trying for the first time. Then wed figure out what worked, what didnt, what were going to do from here, and tell everyone about it as a way to show that were all kind of on this journey together. Robert Bruce: So that begs the question: Just how transparent are we going to be on these behind-the-scenes episodes? Brian Clark: From an educational standpoint, were going to talk about what works and why, when producing your own content and media platform. But since New Rainmaker itself is a content platform, it makes sense that perhaps we should share how this particular thing is working in the scope of our particular business. Now of course, that doesnt always translate one to one for everyone, but in fundamental principles it absolutely does. And thats the idea. The Format of the New Rainmaker Broadcast Robert Bruce: Okay. So lets talk a little bit about the format that we have used over the last three episodes leading to this one. Its a little bit different in the business category. You and I have talked for quite awhile over what we wanted to do for the New Rainmaker broadcast and how we wanted to approach it. We had all kinds of different ideas, but we had an unexpected turn at the last minute leading into the format that we are using, and will continue to use. Any notes on this? Brian Clark: Well, yeah. How long have we been planning this thing? -- at least half of last year, but yeah, there was an unexpected turn at the last minute. So the original idea,

In the days before the Internet, if you wanted to create and distribute any kind of content on a large scale, you needed to either be wealthy, have connections, win the cultural lottery of getting picked, or possess a nearly impossible combination of any of those factors. Only a very privileged few had the resources to own a radio station, a recording studio, or a printing press. Even fewer could cover the cost and supply the expertise required to keep those kinds of operations running. But all of those problems existed before the Internet. What now? In this 14-minute episode youll discover: How a detergent company in Cincinnati became a television producer Why a disposable marketing approach is an unnecessary waste Which asset you can give away, still keep, and watch increase in value Why I turned down a seven figure offer for copyblogger.com How to maximize your marketing wealth with new media Why Mark Zuckerberg makes the rules for fools What real freedom looks like Listen to New Rainmaker Episode No. 3 below ... [player] Download AudioSubscribe in iTunesDownload Transcript Transcript How to Build a Lucrative Asset While You Make it Rain Robert Bruce: In the days before the Internet, if you wanted to create and distribute any kind of media on a large scale, you needed to either be wealthy, have connections, win the cultural lottery of getting picked, or possess a nearly impossible combination of any of those factors. Only a very privileged few had the resources to own a radio station, a recording studio, or a printing press. Even fewer could cover the cost and supply the expertise required to keep those kinds of operations running. But all of those problems existed before the Internet. What now? This is New Rainmaker, from newrainmaker.com …

Fame. Celebrity. Stardom. There are many words to describe this thing that so many are after ... and many reasons they are after it. But is there any real value in celebrity for celebrity’s sake? If you’re famous for being famous -- that phenomena of modern western culture -- what does that actually get you? And is it worth it? In this quick 19-minute episode youll discover: Why just being known means being known for nothing The fallacy of the train wreck approach: The poverty of attention How to give away what youre selling for fun and profit The evil psychological trick that people love Why to never expect anything in return (for the win) How keeping it real lets you sell out Why leadership is the key to lead generation The religious concept that makes it rain Listen to New Rainmaker Episode No. 2 below ... [player] Download AudioDownload TranscriptSubscribe in iTunes Transcript Why a Personal Media Brand Beats Marketing Every Time Robert Bruce: Fame. Celebrity. Stardom. There are many words to describe this thing that so many are after … and many reasons they are after it. But is there any real value in celebrity for celebrity’s sake? If you’re famous for being famous -- that phenomena of modern western culture -- what does that actually get you? And is it worth it? This is New Rainmaker, from newrainmaker.com, I’m Robert Bruce and today Brian Clark analyzes the pursuit of this ancient human desire to be known in the context of business … and makes a case for a better -- and saner -- way to achieve your business goals. Stay tuned … Brian Clark: Picture this. A rich young lady from a well-known family pouts in dissatisfaction. Despite fantastic wealth, this young lady feels she’s not getting enough attention. Suddenly, scandal emerges. An illicit recording has leaked to the public. The sex tape presents our princess in several compromising positions, and the corresponding scorn, ridicule, and most importantly, attention of the world is the result. But the young lady does not retreat in shame, oh no. To the contrary, she’s suddenly everywhere, starring in reality television shows, appearing in films, and landing lucrative endorsement deals. Now ask yourself -- am I talking about Kim Kardashian here, or is it Paris Hilton? Next question … do you actually care which one I’m talking about? Welcome to the world of being famous for being famous … a term for someone who attains celebrity status for no real reason, as opposed to being talented or -- I don’t know … maybe creating some value for the world. This crowd simply self-generates their own fame by exploiting their existing privilege. And they do indeed have an audience, but let’s face it … calling someone famous for being famous is an insult, and rightly so. It’s the separation of fame from greatness, from quality … from value itself. Hey … good for Kim and Paris. Unfortunately, there are plenty of misguided people who think this is the path they should follow to promote their business online. Maybe not the sex tape part, but the misguided notion that all you have to do is become known via the Internet. In other words, they’ve got the media part down, but their efforts are not functioning as good marketing. They’re known for being known, and it doesn’t translate into economic success. Lets talk about personal branding, a term I’ve never liked. It’s all about presenting an image, not necessarily value. And in line with the example set by Kim and Paris, it promotes the idea that being known for being known is enough, and it’s not. Any fool can become known. And they often do. After all, we’ll all watch the online train wreck -- and we get plenty of opportunities right? But do you want to do business with a train wreck? I didnt think so. You need to b

Who is it that -- regardless of the economic climate -- always seems to be able make things happen? In any endeavor, non-profit, for profit, the dentist’s office, the publishing house, the software company ... almost anything you can think of ... who’s the most important player? And how do you become this person? In this quick 22-minute episode youll discover: The two business fundamentals I learned as an unhappy attorney Why you dont need privilege or sales skills to make it rain The true nature of the commercial Internet That the fundamentals of human nature havent changed (and what has) The problem with content marketing How to create marketing people actually want What a personal media brand is, and why you want one Listen to New Rainmaker Episode No. 1 below ... [player] Download AudioDownload TranscriptSubscribe in iTunes Transcript The New Rainmaker: Why the Key to Business Success is Media, Not Marketing Robert Bruce: Who is it that -- whether the chips are up or down -- almost every organization depends on? Who is it that -- regardless of the economic climate -- always seems to be able make things happen? In any endeavor, non-profit, for profit, the dentist’s office, the publishing house, the software company ... almost anything you can think of ... who’s the most important player? And how do you become this person? This is New Rainmaker, from newrainmaker.com, I’m Robert Bruce and today Brian Clark will answer these questions by taking us on a brief walk through his own professional story -- as well as a few others that I think you’ll find ... interesting. Stay tuned … Brian Clark: Without a rainmaker, you’re in trouble. This was true for the Native Americans living on sun-bleached plains. When the life-giving rivers began to dry up from lack of rain, life became hard. The plants withered, the animals weakened, and the tribe despaired. It’s also true for businesses trying to survive and thrive in any economy. The rainmaker is the one who brings in the clients and customers, the revenue, and the profits. It’s the rainmaker who saves their own tribe from the withering despair -- and dire consequences — of failure. In all cultures, the rainmaker is a powerful person. Secure, respected, and paid-in-full. Ultimately, the one who makes it rain makes the rules. The traditional business rainmaker typically enjoyed some unfair advantage outside of standard channels -- this is how they made it rain. The right family, the right Ivy League connections, the right country club membership ... privilege perpetuating more privilege. The new rainmaker also enjoys an unfair advantage -- except in this case it’s now available to anyone who understands (and, more importantly, acts on) how new business generation works today, thanks to the Internet. This unfair advantage is now built on the principles of attracting and engaging an audience, not the circumstances of your birth. An Improbable Run at Entrepreneurial Success Robert Bruce: So youre getting the basic concept of the rainmaker -- what his or her irreplaceable role has been in business and culture throughout history. Now let’s see what that might look like in a very specific professional environment. For instance, which attorneys make their own rules in a law firm? Here’s Brian again ... Brian Clark: In my past life, I was an attorney. I didn’t much enjoy the practice of law, but looking back now, I realize that I learned two fundamental rules of smart business while doing my time in the big law firm environment. I was a liberal arts major with a law degree. I’d never taken a course in marketing or business ... never even read a book. So naturally I end up practicing business law. I was a keen observer though, and the realities of the business of law made some things quite clear to this fo